Based on a previous EU project on innovation in South Africa we realized there was a need for a capacity building project in the region. As previous projects had focused on mobility of students and staff, we wanted to create a project that would train and support the university staff in developing innovation in their universities.We put together a set of models which would affect employment of graduates, operation of innovation centers as well as structured meetings between universities and the industry. This has the potential to increase innovation and entrepreneurship in South Africa while increasing employment of graduates, increasing research collaborations with the industry and strengthening all sides of the knowledge triangle

The ELEPHANT consortium consists of 6 SA and 2 EU HEIs that shar expertise and apply a transversal multidisciplinary holistic approach to empower research capacity in a One Health (OH) approach. Being reference for specific activities, participant’s leadership and responsibility for design and implementation of OH teaching will be enhanced. Creation of a virtual research platform aims at sustaining project information, OH educational and research results and practices and communication also beyond the project period and allows other SA or SADC Universities to share knowledge and expertise and values such as: Legal compliance, ethics, research integrity, inclusiveness.The involvement of associate partners shows connection with, and impact on society, through demand driven research and knowledge transfer, to communities, industry and policy makers.SA participants will improve their quality in teaching and research (training) by enforcing capacities in terms of better equipped laboratories, standardized methodologies and continuous interactions, within and beyond the project period, with all staff of other partners and graduate students. This will positively impact evidence based One Health interventions to improve health and welfare of animals and humans Ultimately, the SA HE institutions will improve their reputation in research by increasing publication numbers in high ranked scientific journals. Their impact on society will be focused especially towards policy makers by sharing data and strategies to put in place science based, and One Health focused, hazards (disease and pollutant) surveys, prevention and intervention/control and a reduction in the wildlife-livestock conflicts. The project will largely involve communities that will be engaged in participatory OH activities, and will benefit from increased hazard awareness and control. The latter to be facilitated in collaboration with industry.

The IMPALA project aims to set up a network of European and South African universities and educational organisations to respond to the needs in the South African higher education community. It aspires to develop clear and viable internationalisation strategies within the South African IMPALA universities to bring them up to par and give them a much needed head start for future international cooperation initiatives. The project seeks to bring the South African IMPALA universities to a more advanced level in terms of management and strategies of internationalisation through the training of staff and the strengthening of structures. The focus of the project is set on the following four strands of internationalisation 1/ Staff Training, 2/ Policy Development and Implementation, 3/Academic Issues, 4/ Mobility. The four strands which constitute the basis of the project are further divided into 5 specific themes: 1/strategies and site visits 2/Short term programmes (incl.summer schools) 3/internationalisation of the curriculum 4/project writing and management 5/ Mobility Toolkit. A large group of South African university staff (academics, university management, administrators) will be trained, participate in site visits, attend workshops, etc. Internationalisation university strategies and management structures will be defined and implemented according to the needs and nature of the partner university. Each of the 5 topics mentioned will be covered by 5 working groups. The project will produce an online Toolbox for Academics and Administrators on internationalization in all its aspects based on the outcomes and achievements of the project. The ultimate goal of the IMPALA project is to translate the policies and strategies into action, and to lay the foundation of a solid partnership of a European network of universities and a South African network of universities that will engage in consortium-to-consortium cooperation initiatives.

The FAIR project aims to design, develop and evaluate a Masters Course in the field of Energy Poverty Alleviation Technologies in South Africa. It will also develop innovative learning material that will offer students a tailored perspective, participating universities the chance to exchange best practises, modernize, renew and align their curricula towards innovative skills and competencies necessary to effectively address the urgent societal need of energy poverty.The Masters Programme encompasses the different sources of knowledge and experience required by the discipline. Also, beyond coursework, the program is structured around:- industry placement, in relevant businesses, government agencies, etc.- digital learning, to allow modern forms of learning, as well as to enable contribution from experts across the globe in the development of the program.-promote cooperation, exchange of know-how and good practices in the subject area between EU and SA HEIs.-establish viable synergies and links with industry players and public authorities in order to address their needs in specialized personnel, and enhance the employability of FAIR graduates.-contribute to local economic growth and social inclusionThese specific objectives will be achieved by:-Developing the Master degree in the area of Alleviating Energy Poverty Technologies;-The establishment of FAIR labs -Developing tailor-made VET courses to cover the immediate personnel training needs of the local, regional businesses and public authorities- Training the academic staff of SA HEIs - Community-level awareness raisingDespite South Africa’s governments’ ambitious plans towards energy poverty alleviation, there are no graduate programmes that prepare specialists in the field. The project responds to the urgent need for high-quality educational programs that produce ‘fit-for-job’ graduates and “reskill” energy industry professionals and public authorities’ personnel.

The Higher Education sector in South Africa is going through a fundamental transformation process, addressing several challenges such as inequality of representation amongst existing staff, high student : staff ratios, low throughput rates, limited qualifications of existing staff and an inadequate postgraduate pipeline. Therefore, the government aims to identify and nurture academic talent, support newly recruited academics to acquire Doctoral and Master’s degrees, and develop their research skills. Also, the roles of professionals in Higher Education operating in the ‘third space’ are increasingly important as universities seek to differentiate themselves in how they create a valuable student experience; ensure student outcomes; and positively impact their local, regional, and global communities and economies through research and engagement. The project will address these aspects with a focus on strengthening postgraduate environments, reinforcing academic cultures at public universities in South Africa. This will contribute to transforming public universities, creating more conducive environments for postgraduate studies and sustainable supervisory capacity. The project intends to support universities to develop supervision capacity, nurture academic talent, assist them in training newly recruited academics to acquire Doctoral and Master’s degrees and develop research skills of academic staff.At individual level, participants will be coached to design a tailor-made programme to develop postgraduate supervision, while taking into account the historical background, nature of the concerned institute, its ethos, its vision and mission and available resources. At institutional level, the extended tailor-made programme designed by the participants will be presented to their research office, faculty and university leadership, anticipating approval and implementation of (essential elements of) the proposed programme to enhance their postgraduate environment.